VTAM/Switch 7.1.04 Release Notes

Released On: 11/20/2025

Enhancements:

• SWITCH release 7.1.004 has enhanced logic to remove expired SWITCH messages.
• SWITCH release 7.1.003 has new option (AXRACF) to Allow access to applications using ALIAS name instead of APPL name for applications defined to RACF.
• SWITCH release 7.1.003 includes a new sample CICS good morning program for custom CICS signon logic for customers.
• Performance improvement by removing Store Into Instruction Stream (SIIS) within the VTAM/Switch programs
• Major performance improvement in the method used to clear storage buffers.
• New logon data variables, reference 1.9.4 LOGDATA Support.
• For installations using external security, new option to verify the User ID and password passed to VTAM/Switch. In the event the verification fails, the VTAM/Switch sign-on screen is displayed, reference Control Table FLAGC parameter.
• For installations using external security, new option to provide a generic authentication failure message to prevent bad actors from guessing which bad information is being supplied during sign-on, reference Control Table FLAGC parameter.
• The SEGMENT command uses the IPWSEGM macro with KEEP=YES, making the Control Table SEGMENT parameter obsolete (VSE only).
• New feature for users using Menu=Married. The ROTATE command displays the page with the current application with the cursor positioned at the application, reference User Table FLAG1(6) parameter.
• Load module routine enhanced to verify the module’s RENT/REUS attribute. In the event the module does not have the RENT/REUS attributes, continue to load the module and issue a warning message (GSRLDPHH).
• Menu Divider Line feature added, reference section 5.15.1 Online Administration – Application Menus Select.
• Increases the limit of VTAM LOGDATA passed from the physical terminal to VTAM/Switch from 62 to 126 bytes.
• Control Table Option TIMER and SHUT command enhancement to continue the shutdown after waiting a specified number of seconds to allow physical terminals to close.
• Control Table Option Flag B(8) enhanced to allow the User ID and password or phrase to be passed to VTAM/Switch as VTAM LOGDATA. Reference Control Table FLAGB(8) and Section 4.2 Logging on to VTAM/Switch.
• The “?” character assigned to the VTAM/Switch command RETRIEVE.
• Timeout feature added to release the physical terminal back to VTAM after waiting a number of seconds for a sign-on screen response, reference Control Table TIMEOUT parameter. Event number 131 Sign-on wait time exceeded added.
• VTAM/Switch definition filters are saved to be retrieved later and available for all users.
• Support for new MacKinney License Keys routine. The Control Table and $INIT member PWD1 through PWD6 parameters are obsolete. Reference section 1.3 MacKinney License Key
• Event number 98 Appl maximum sessions allowed added.
• Logical Terminal table macro GS$DFL changed to generate multiple definitions from a single statement using alphabetic characters. Reference Logical Terminal TERMID parameter.
• Automatically updates the user's control block after an Administration change to the user's record. The automatic update occurs when the user's Session Selection screen is refreshed.
• For physical SNA terminals only, an option to use exception response mode was added. Reference Control Table RESPONSE parameter.
• New Director Session Selection menu screen available, reference 4.5.5 Director Session Selection.
• New Session Selection menu option called “Director”. This option displays the Session Selection screen listing each application to open or select in a single line entry with 2 applications per line format. Only the application description and its status are listed. Applications are opened or selected by any of the following methods:
  • 1.  Select the application from screen.
  • 2.  Pressing a PF KEY listed next to application. 
  • 3.  Cursor select by moving cursor over the application name.
• Added a new setting to the LASTOFF parameter in the GSFDFCT table to limit the LASTOFF function to only applications with a specific name or prefix. The LASTOFF parameter directs VTAM/Switch to logoff the user from VTAM/Switch if the user is logging off the last application the user has open in VTAM/Switch.